The Color White
by KuroTenshi1
Summary: V/H... It's been nearly nine yrs since Hitomi has left Van &co. What has happened to her since then? Why doesn't she like the color white? Read on to find out, R&R )i(
1. Default Chapter

This is my first Escaflowne Fic. Some of this will be A/Uish or a major Oocness, so please excuse this.  
  
I don't own anything but the plot and new characters.  
The Color White: by Kuro Tenshi  
White.  
The color of snow.  
The color of purity and innocents.  
The color of emptiness.  
It was a bleak color of nothingness.  
Nothing was there, nothing could survive there, nothing could see in this bleak world of white the supposedly stood for things that were good.  
White.  
She hated the color white.  
The, oh so, virginal white.  
The eggshell white, the white snow.  
She hated it all, for it surrounds her.  
It had been around her for nearly nine long lonely years since they've locked her in this padded white room. There was no sunlight in this lonely room with no one for company but herself.  
They thought she was crazy when she had told them where she had been. They thought it was some nervous break down because of her exams and such. Oh, if they had only known the truth of her words!  
But no, they attribute it as a mental disorder, as something of her imagination. If it were her imagination, she had once thought, then she would rather stay in the fantasy world she had created in her mind. The one where he was in it, her angel. She was convinced that he was real, like she was.  
She sat in the corner of her cell her knees pressed against her torso with her pale slender arms wrapped around her legs. Her honey colored hair was now passed her shoulders to the small of her back. Her once bright green eyes seemed dull like a jade. She wore a white short-sleeved shirt and white pants that were like pajamas, just like the others. It was their uniform, the color white.  
She looks up at the corner of the ceiling, imagining that she was back there, with her love and friends...but no, she was here in this horrid room of white, wearing white.  
She wanted to go back there, back to Gaea where she would've been happy, but no. She thought bitterly, I was stupid enough to leave, leave him and them behind for this world that I no longer need. The one that locked me away.  
Silent tears slide down her pale face as her hair hid her eyes and a single droplet fell on the soft padded floor. Another one slide down, then another as and another as she began to cry anew, whispering the name of her love.  
"Van.."  
AN: This is my first try at this. R&r, don't care 'bout flamers, let them flame away. 


	2. Mystified Results

AN: Sorry it took so long to update. I don't own anything expect the doctors, nurses, the new dad too, and the plot. Sorta A/U and a little ooc  
  
'***' Sceene changes '' thoughts  
The door jingles and opens to reveal several figures standing in the doorway. Hitomi dimly wonders if it was time for her medicine or if it was her family who were visiting her.  
Her friends, Amano and Yukari, had long ago stop coming to visit her since she had stop talking to everyone since she had been admitted into this asylum, claiming that it was too depressing.  
Still, she hadn't said a word to anyone, not even to her mom, who had remarried to a man named Yushiko Tsunami, after her father's death several months after she had returned. She didn't like him, even if he was nice.  
Her little brother, Mamoru, was the only one she would say anything to or give any signal to. He understood her, knowing what she had told him was true.  
She looks up as five people entered the room. Her mom, a female doctor, and three male nurses, came towards her.  
She cringed, trying to make herself even smaller.  
"Hitomi?" Her mother's soft voice floated to her ears, "Please, talk to me, honey, so we can get you out of her."  
Hitomi looks up at the older woman. Her mother had aged with gray hair lacing her honey brown hair. She looked tired as if she was straining against something.  
She wanted to hold her mom, tell she would be fine, but she found that she couldn't. She couldn't move nor could she speak. All she did was stare blankly at them, willing them to go away.  
"Hitomi," it was the doctor now, "If you speak to us, tell us what is wrong, we can help you." She told her, "Then you would get better an won't have to ever come back here."  
A bitter laugh emitted from the young woman. It was a dry laughter that surprised even her, as it echoed through the room. She was surprised that she could even remember how to laugh, let alone do it.  
"You....want to know what's wrong with me?" She asked, her voice was still a little raspy as she stares boldly at them, "What makes you think that there is something wrong with me?"  
Her mother knelt by her, "Honey, you're sick. You've been talking about a place that doesn't exists, people who are no real, things that are not real."  
The doctor nods, "It is true, Miss Kanzaki. You have been living in a fantasy world constructed of your own mind to retreat form the real world into one where you had a role, had things that you only dream of. And that is not how life works. There are no dragons, no animal people, no Gaea, no magic." She sighs, "Things like that just don't exist."  
"Says you." She spat, "Van is real. Gaea is real." She stood up shakily on her legs, feeling awkward before getting her bearings, "I left it, leaving everything I loved behind, and for what?" She walks away, using her legs, "to be locked away in some padded room? To be left to rot here?" Tears welled up in her eyes as she slide down to the floor once again, "I left, thinking I needed to be here." She chuckled again, "And now, here I am, slowly going insane because I'm locked up in here where I can't see the sky, can't feel the wind or the sun, or rain." She looks at them, "And you ask me what is wrong? You're what's wrong with me. You've kept me caged like I would hut people when I haven't done a thing." She looks away, "If that is all you came here for, to analyze and categorize me, then leave, I don't want you to waste your precious time on me."  
"Hitomi, please-" Her mother began.  
"Mother, just go away and leave me alone, just like the others. Stupid mindless people in a world of white." Her eyes glazed over, "I want to go back, to Gaea, to Fanelia, to...Van."  
Then something happened, something that they couldn't explain. A light came and surrounded Hitomi, carrying her up and up until she vanished and when she was gone, so was the pillar of light.  
Hitomi's mother covered her mouth as the doctor and nurses stared at the ceiling. In a daze, they walked out, the doctor wondering how she was going to tell the council that one of her patients, literally, disappeared.  
****  
"Lord Van!" a female voice shouts.  
Van Slanzar de Fanel, King of Fanelia, winced at the sound of his name. He sighs as he ran his head through his raven colored hair and tried to resists the urge to roll his ruby-brown eyes as a well know figure came running up to him.  
He turns towards the figure, prepared to fall as she tackled him, "Merle- oomph." The cat-woman tackled him, knocking the wind out of him as she licked his cheek. "Lord Van, where have you been?" She asked, her sapphire eyes twinkled into his. "The council wanted to see you!"  
He rolls his eyes and sits up as she moves off him, "I know, that's why I'm here!" He told her and shook his head, "They want me to get married as soon as possible. Look at me Merle."  
She did, tilting her head, "yeah?"  
"Do I look like I need to be married now? Hell, I'm only twenty-four for gods' sake! I'm not that old yet!"  
She nods in sympathy, but knew secretly that he was really waiting for his love, Hitomi, the girl from the Mystic Moon. She shook her head, inwardly sighing at the two people. "Well, it's that and also they have invited the princess, Sheila from Barsam, and the duchess of Lovington, Elvira Newton, to the palace. "  
Van fell back and groans in annoyance. His advisers were annoying, but they mean well. He just wished they'd leave him the hell alone.  
He rolls over onto his stomach. It had been a long time since the Destiny war and since Hitomi had left to the Mystic Moon. He had grown taller, perhaps one foot and half in the very least. His skin had a bronze tone to it from having been outside too much and his hair had grown a little longer but was still wild as ever.  
Merle had grown as well, into a lovely young woman with shoulder length strawberry hair. She wore men's clothes for they were easier to move around in than those stupid dresses and her tail had more freedom.  
Van sighs, "Do I have to?" He almost whines, making Merle giggle.  
"Yes you do, and you better be nice." She told him and stood, "Even if they are boring!"  
He shook his head and got up to leave, when the pendant, that Hitomi had given him to remember her by, started to glow brightly.  
They stopped and stared at one another before he pulled it out. The pink jewel gleams in the sunlight as t began to swing in one direction.  
Van looks at Merle, then they both dashed off to where the pendant swung. A pillar of light filled the sky, as they neared it, bestowing a single object to the ground. When the light cleared, Van's breath caught in his throat at the sight of the figure on the ground.  
The figure was in a fetal position; its honey colored hair gleamed as well. The figure was wearing white and was barefooted.  
The pendant around Van's neck grew brighter as they approach the body. He knelt, carefully, beside the body, moving the silky hair from the face. He felt the sting of tears behind his eyes as he gathered the body to him, holding it tightly, allowing one single tear slide down his cheek.  
"Hitomi."  
AN: A little sap, but that's it. It'll get better...or worse, depending on your pov. R&r 


	3. Wake Up

AN: Been a while... Don't own Esca characters but the plot and extras. ***=scene changes  
He didn't know how long he sat there, holding his beloved to him, taking comfort in the fact that she was there, in his arms. It wasn't until Merle cleared her throat that he came back to reality.  
"Lord Van," She knelt next to them, "Is she alright?" He looks at her then shrugs, "Come, we must get her to a healer as soon as possible." He told her, standing up with her in his arms.  
***  
  
Moonlight filters through the balcony window were she land, sleeping soundly. The hearth crackled as the log fell in two with the fire consuming it slowly, feeding on the wood.  
Letting out a sigh, he stood and walked quietly towards the bed. She was stunning, she always was, and angelic like, as if ...  
Hitomi snuggled deeper into the warmth of the blankets and bedding, sighing contently in her sleep. His gloveless hand reached out, moving some of the stray hairs from her face. He wished she'd open her eyes and smile at him, like she used to.  
He kneels down on the floor, folding his arms on the bed and resting his chin on them, staring at her. *How can anyone be this beautiful? * He wonders gazing at her, but as he watched her, he notices that something else is different about her appearance. She was far paler than the last time he remembered and her hair seemed a little dull. He also realized, with a start, that there were small dark circles under her eyes.  
*How could I have missed it? * He stood up and leaned in closer, *She's thin.too thin and too pale too. * "Like she's been away from the sun for too long." He whispered, voicing his thoughts. He kisses her cheek, "What have they done too you, Hitomi? What happened there?" Sighing, knowing that his questions wouldn't be answered till the morning, he returns to his original spot; a chair near the hearth. "Well," He mutters, "this saves me, hopefully, from more proposals from those noble families."  
***  
Hitomi grumbles and rolls away as the morning sun made its way onto the bed. She opens her eyes, her senses felt muddled as she stretches. That's when she froze. Her emerald green eyes widen with surprise and shock as she saw where she was. The room was huge, bigger than her cell, with what one would have thought of as Western Victorian style furniture. Her bed was a huge king size four- poster bed with a canopy and curtains that were drawn back.  
She moved the covers so that she could move. She got up on her feet, a bit unsteadily, and walking slowly towards the balcony window. The sight that greeted her took her breath away. It was a city, not the one she remembered from home, but the city that she remembers from Gaia.  
The market was busy with its shops, buyers, merchants and travelers, what also made her gasp was the place that she was in was the only one that was a very tall building. A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts as it busts open and a brown- pink blur tackled her and started licking her face.  
Too surprise to do much of anything, Hitomi just waited for the dizziness to stop before she looked upon the person that was on top of her. "Merle?!"  
The one word that she only managed to get out before she hug the cat-woman to death. "Hitomi! How are you doing? Are you ok?" Merle asked rapidly, "Would you like to come to the market to get some clothe so we can-"  
"Merle!"  
Merle's eyes widen as she duck behind, a now standing, Hitomi. "Don't let her find me!" She pleaded. "Who?" Hitomi asked with confusion, "Who is it?"  
Suddenly, a tall woman (5'8, hey, that's tall to me!) with long raven locks of hair put into a sideways ponytail and had violet eyes peeps into the room. She walks in looking around.  
Hitomi noted her outfit; it was white. She fought hard not to show her hatred for white. 'And it's virgin white too! ' She thought disgusted. Over her time in the cell, she had learned to discern the difference between white, and the several of white. Virgin white, was.well, the original white. Then eggshell white, the color of some eggs and so on. She looked down at herself, disgruntled to find herself in, yet again, white, but she was oddly pleased at the grass stains and dirt spots that were in it.  
"Oh, " The woman says, "I didn't know anyone was here." She ran a speculative gaze over Hitomi's figure. "Are you new here?"  
Hitomi didn't reply, but allowed Merle to. "No, she's been here before." The cat-woman told her. "Princess Sheila, this is the Seeress from the Mystic Moon, Lady Hitomi." She looks at her friend, "Hitomi, this is the princess of Barsam, Princess Sheila Annasha."  
"I'm please to met you, Lady Hitomi." The Princess curtsied a bit.  
"Charmed, I'm sure," Hitomi replies, inclining her head a little.  
The Princess looked like she wanted to say something, but thought better of it. "I will be taking my leave, Good morrow to you, Lady Hitomi." She then turns her attentions to Merle "Are you coming or not, Merle?"  
Merle shook her head, "No, I'm going to wait for Hitomi," she all but batted her eyelashes at Sheila, "But you are more than welcome to visit the market yourself." 'In fact,' she thought, 'I encourage it.'  
"Every well then." And without farther ado, she left, much to the relief of both women. "Come on." Merle smiles at her friend, "I'll send for the servants to draw the bath and get some clothes ready." Hitomi flashed her a bright smile, "That sounds great!"  
*** A half hour found Hitomi staring at the one color she didn't like. On her bed was three white dresses. The first was a V cut with long sleeves and a slightly tight bodice. The dress would've flared out slightly, cling to her figure, if she'd worn it. The next dress was the clear blue-white. Meaning it was so light blue that it was white. It had more of a box cut with puffy sleeves and looked a little like something a little girl would wear. The last was a cream white color. It was short sleeved with a V cut and a somewhat loose bodice. She moved away from them, not wanting to see them, for they reminded her time on Earth, in that room, alone.  
"Hitomi, are you-" Merle stopped when she saw her friend, looking so distantly at the clothes. "Hitomi?" She walks up to the woman and touches her arm, but the girl was still in a trance like state. "HITOMI!" She yells in her ear.  
Hitomi snaps out of it and looks at Merle, who looked very worried, "Oh, uh, Merle." "Hitomi, are you ok?" Merle asked, worry and concern still written all over her face and in her eyes. "You looked so out of it." She pauses before asking, almost fearfully, "Was it a vision?"  
Hitomi smiles sadly at the cat-woman, "No, not a vision Merle." She looks away, "I was...just remembering something...that's all."  
Merle sighs, "Oh," Then looks a little angry and curious, "Then why aren't you dressed yet?!"  
The side of Hitomi's mouth kicks up as a genuine smile appears, "It's nothing, but can you get me a different color than white?"  
Merle blinks, surprised by the request. Usually Hitomi didn't really can what she wore, but now.... "Sure, any preference?" Hitomi shook her head, causing her washed and dried honey hair to shake as well, like a river down her back, "No, just as long as it's not white or any color that has white in it." She nodded, but still a bit confused at her friend's request, "Ok, just wait here."  
AN: Ok, hopefully that was better. If it's hard to read, blame it on FF.Net's formation and all. R&R 


	4. gomen

I can't update...anymore..at least not..like I wanted to. By the end of this week, my internet connection will be gone and updates will be very few and far between. Sorry..read my bio, It'll sort of explain. Well, this is goodbye, for now.  
  
KuroTenshi  
  
)i( 


End file.
